The present invention relates generally to the remote monitoring of usage information, and in particular to an apparatus and associated method for transmitting, receiving, storing, processing and digitally re-transmitting the information directly to a remote receiving device via various methods to include Personal Communications Systems (PCS) using Global Standards for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Technology.
Presently, many utility meters are monitored by having an employee visually inspect each meter, and record the usage data. Several methods and devices have been proposed to automatically collect the utility usage data thereby reducing the labor involved in collecting the utility usage data.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,632, Frew, et al. disclose a device for monitoring utility usage. The device is independently powered and is capable of short range infrared transmission of the utility usage data. A wand is also provided that is capable of receiving the transmitted data. A meter-reading employee uses the wand by placing it close to the monitoring device to receive the data which is electronically stored in a transportable unit carried by the employee. The employee then brings the electronically stored data to the utility company where it is downloaded from the transportable unit and used to calculate the customer""s utility usage bill.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,010,568 and 5,161,182, by Merrian, et al. disclose a utility usage monitor that connects to the customer""s telephone line via a modem. The usage monitor calculates and stores the customer""s utility usage data. The utility company periodically calls the monitoring unit, and when a modem connection between the utility company and the monitoring unit is established, the monitoring unit sends the usage data to the utility company and the data is used to calculate the customer""s usage bill.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,976, Gastouniotis, et al. disclose a device that monitors utility usage data. The customer""s utility usage data is collected by a unit located in the customer""s residence. The monitoring unit sends the usage data via a radio frequency to an intermediate storage station where usage data from to 10,000 residences is capable of being stored. Periodically, the intermediate station sends the stored data to the utility company by either a radio frequency link, a cable TV line or telephone line. Subsequently, the utility usage data is used to calculate the customer""s bill.
A need exists for a system that is capable of monitoring utility usage and other information on varying reading schedules and different levels of frequency of data interrogation (profiling), and is capable of wirelessly transmitting digital data to a desired remote device.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a data collection device that receives information from utility meters and other devices.
It would further be advantageous to provide for digital transmission of the information to a remote receiving device, and in one embodiment the information should be capable of being transmitted via GSM or TDMA digital technology operating at any frequency.
It would also be advantageous for the data collection device provide an interface with telecommunications wiring at a location so as to provide a connection to a cellular, PCS or equivalent wireless network.
It would be advantageous to provide an improved infrared meter reading device for use with utility meters having a rotatable disk, dial or mechanical type indicator where the improved reader is capable of being attached to an existing meter without having to retrofit the meter.
According to the present invention, an apparatus is provided for automatically collecting data and digitally transmitting that data to a remote receiving device, and the data is capable of being transmitted in one embodiment using GSM or TDMA digital technology. The apparatus includes a device for sensing and collecting data at a first location. If the sensed data is analog, then the analog data is converted to digital data. The collected data may be transmitted to a data collection device for storage and/or processing before the data is digitally transmitted to the desired remote device. Within the data collection device is a device for processing and storing which is also used to convert and encode the data into a desired format and electronically store the data. The device for processing and storing can include a central processing unit (CPU) for processing the collected data, erasable programmable memory (EPROM) for storing a program to process the collected data and random access memory (RAM) for storing the data before it is transmitted.
Periodically, or when prompted by an interested party, the apparatus transmits the digital data to a remote receiving device via a telecommunications unit and network using GSM or TDMA digital technology on any radio frequency. The GSM or TDMA network transmits the stored and/or processed data on a digital GSM or TDMA control channel and the data is delivered to the remote receiving device. In one embodiment, the apparatus is capable of transmitting the data over the Personal Communications System (PCS) network utilizing frequencies of about 1900 Mhz.
Although the present invention is described in relation to PCS networks using GSM or TDMA technology, it should be appreciated that the present invention may be used in conjunction with any other wireless system that employs the use of a digital control channel to transmit information to a remote receiving device.
In another embodiment, the apparatus for automatically collecting data can be connected via a connecting device to a user""s telecommunications system (e.g., existing hardwired telephone system) to create a connection to a wireless telecommunications network (e.g., GSM, TDMA or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network). Thus, a connection in this manner allows for voice or data transmission over the wireless telecommunications network using the existing telecommunications wiring at a location.
In another aspect of the invention, an improved utility monitoring optical/infrared reader is provided for transmitting and receiving an optical/infrared signal. The improved reader may be used to determine a customers utility usage from a conventional utility meter having a rotatable disk, dial or mechanical type indicator without having to alter the existing meter.
In one embodiment, a reflecting device is positioned between an optical/infrared transmitter and the receiver. The reflecting device optically couples a rotating disk, dial or mechanical type indicator located inside a utility meter with the transmitter and receiver. In another embodiment, the reflecting device comprises two mirrors. In addition, a calculating device is provided that calculates a number of rotations of the rotating disk, dial or mechanical type indicator and a processing device is used to convert the number of rotations into meter usage data. A monitor can be provided for visually displaying the utility data to an observer. The meter usage data can be electronically stored within the meter reading device. In addition, the data can be subsequently transmitted to another location via a wired or wireless connection. The wireless transmission of the data may be sent over a frequency band that has not been licensed for commercial use. The transmitted data is capable of being received by the universal meter reader and subsequently digitally transmitted.